1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of recreational and athletic equipment, specifically relating to obstacle devices such as hurdles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Obstacle devices such as hurdles are well known in the art relating to athletic equipment both on a professional and amateur level. Such devices frequently take the form as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,191,253 and are generally placed in a running track requiring the runner to jump over a series of such hurdles to complete the race. Although hurdles such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,191,253 are constructed so as to give away slightly when struck by a user who does not cleanly clear the hurdle, such devices are generally rather rigid in construction and quite often do not give away sufficiently to prevent tripping or other injury to the runner. The materials used to construct such hurdles are generally wood and steel, which similarly add to the possibility of injury upon impact. Obstacles such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,191,253 do not afford a device which may be jumped over and moved beneath, because such hurdles are generally constructed by side support means limiting the width of the hurdle. Even the trained athlete faces some probability of injury in using such a hurdle, and younger, amateur users may not be able to utilize such a device at all due to the inherent danger of injury.
Cones of the type commonly used for road safety marking and other similar uses are well known in the art, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,732,842 and 2,333,273. In particular, the device disclosed in U.S. No. Pat. 3,732,842 is heavily constructed and possesses stabilizing features.